Frustration ... Acceptance

Frustration leads to suffering.
Acceptance leads to peace.
Existentially.

Let me break that down.

I used to get really frustrated when I had migraines. Sometimes, I still do. I'm human. That frustration at having the migraines led to the suffering from the pain.

You can be in pain and not suffer.

I have been in pain and not suffered.

The secret, not-so-secret-secret, is to not resist the pain and therefore not get frustrated and just radically accept that yes, there is going to be pain, now how am I going to deal with it?

Am I going to rest, and let my body have a break?

Am I going to take some medication to assist my body in getting through the time?

Am I going to use ice or heat to reduce the pain?

All of those things require acknowledging that I am in pain an accepting that it is happening.

Pushing through the pain, creating more pain, and making things worse leads to frustration.

Frustration from not being able to do what I want when I want.

Frustration from my body being not as strong as I want in the moment.

Frustration from not accepting life as it is.

That's the simple definition of radical acceptance.

I'm human, so it's a continual lesson. I do learn it again when frustration sneaks in.

Acceptance is self-care.

Children of Bone and Blood, A Review

http://www.tomiadeyemi.com/books

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi is a great fantasy novel with a dystopian story line about a totalitarian patriarchy that is at a tipping point in the life of a set of teens and the kingdom.

Zelie has a chance to bring back an utopian state and strike down the monarchy. She has help along the way, but must survive many dangers to get through the harshness of life on the way to fighting the good fight.

Some of my favorite parts in this book start at the beginning with the training sessions with Mama Agba, the language, the sparing between Zelie and Amari until they begin to trust each other, and Amari's memories of Binta. 

There's a few ways oppression is manifest in this story. There's classism between the have's and the have-not's. Diviners are the lowest class, if that word can be used, can be born into any family, and, appear in the strangest places. Then there's the kosidan class, who are distinguished from the diviners by not having white/grey hair. Then there's the oloyes class, who are distinguished from the kosidan and diviners because they are the nobility and courtesans. Then there's the royals, who are able to command anything and the king has command over everything from life and death for everyone under him within the realm.

I used to think that I understood the all encompassing fear that women live with. But, being white, I don't have that fear all the time anymore. I used to, but healing has removed it from me. But, I am not one who has to fear that my life is in danger all.of.the.time now. Zelie experiences fear all.of.the.time and you experience that in the chapters written from her perspective. I now know that I am not having the same experience of most black and indigenous women of color in fearing their lives every single moment. Now, I will do what I can to lessen that fear.

I think this is a great book and it can change your life if you let it. Ms. Adeyemi wrote it to emphasize the blackness of the characters and reading the book, you cannot miss that everyone, almost, is black. There's a couple, out of the many hundreds of characters shown, who might not be black, but everyone else unabashedly, unashamedly black. You can read this book and be a racist at the beginning, but I don't think you will be the same at the end.

I am reviewing this book from my own library of books I have the privilege of owning. I give it five stars, out of five stars. 

2018 Creative Review

Last year, I kept records on my crafting primarily in my Ravelry profile.

I processed 19,626 yards in 53 projects of knitting or crochet projects.

Some were tiny projects that were for babies of others, household items, and winter clothes, along with a bunch of socks.

* 10 pairs of socks
* 3 sweaters
* 5 blankets
* 12 hats
* 11 neck things (cowls, scarves, shawls)
* 3 pairs of mittens or fingerless mittens
* 3 baby things

What did you create last year?

Blooming Crowns

Today, I went to the launch party for the newest edition of Taproot: Bloom. It was great fun!

I made a blooming crown from flowers and supplies provided by Broadturn Farm, in Scarborough, Maine, that used to be on my commute to and from work most days. It's been a long time since I traveled there, so it was nice to think on and talk with others about flowers.

This is the crown that I made! It's sitting around my summer hat I wear to combat icky lights, which wasn't needed at the party, but it's better to be prepared.

I hope to have more fun at the next release party in a while.

To find out more about Taproot, you can find their online store here.

Until next time, enjoy your walks and have fun!

Guilds and Fairs, Oh My!

Last Saturday was the Craft Fair at the local grange building. Granges are community builders that promote togetherness and agriculture in the US. There were 2,100 communities with 160,000 members in 36 states as of 2005 in the US. The Grange is a fraternal order that was founded after the Civil War in 1867. There's usually one local to many Mainers. Anyways, the town I live in has a fairly active one, and they held a craft fair last weekend.

I bought a few items. One was to support a local cheer team, and the other was to support a painter from the area. Both are going to be for Christmas gifts this year. 

Today, I attended the Guild meeting for the Southern Maine Spinners and Weavers Guild, which meets at the Dorothy Stevens Community Center in Kennebunk, Maine. We had a great time describing what we have been learning and setting up for our holiday party next month.

I volunteered to set up the Facebook page and maintain it for a while to see how it goes. I already have a fairly low key Facebook page for this blog, and, so feel comfortable with the Facebook side of things. I also have been the Public Relations officer for various groups in the past, so am excited to be initiating this outlet for the group.

Anyways, I learned that there's the ability to add editors to pages on Facebook, so will see how that works and go from there. I'm also looking forward to finding out more about the group and how it can change through this mighty step forward.

What I love about Autumnal Fall, This Year!

Equinox! Mabon! The days and nights are equal! 
Pretty colors in nature that are full of vibrancy! 
Life gets into a routine again after the lazy days of unstructured summers! 
Though not this year… 
Life changes and the wheel of time moves forward, 
ever onwards. 
I won’t end the wheel’s movement, 
I can’t, but there are times of sadness so great currently. 
Crups guarding and seeing through the veil of life and death, 
letting me know she is near.

~~~

My gma has gone on to the next grand adventure, so the wheel of time moves forwards.

Hug your loved ones, and, if not near them, hug your self and be gentle with your self.

Now, that it’s getting dusty in here, where’s some pumpkin spice latte? ;)